Copy holder and roll label dispensing device for typewriter

ABSTRACT

An improved copy holder and dispensing apparatus for feeding gummed labels from a continuously wound roll into a typewriter. The apparatus comprises a copy holder and label roll dispensing assembly mounted upon a holder, a pedestal, which fixes and secures the said assembly in cooperating relationship with a typewriter so that gummed labels can be continuously unreeled and fed into the typewriter as the typing of the labels progresses. The stability of the whole of the label roll dispensing assembly and holder is provided by an association with the typewriter which is rested upon the base of the holder to hold the said assembly in operative relationship with the typewriter.

United States Patent 11 1 Griffith 1 1 Oct. 2, 1973 1 COPY HOLDER AND ROLL LABEL 2,415,641 2 1947 Langsdorf 197/180 2,523,755 9/1950 Ford et a1. 197/1811 x DISPENSING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITER [76] Inventor: R011 P. Griffith, 5657 Afton P.W.,

Baton Rouge, La.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 126,415

[52] U.S. C1. 197/133 R, 197/180, 197/181.1 [51] int. Cl B41j 15/00 [58] Field of Search 197/133 R, 180, 181.1, 197/181.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,971,628 2/1961 Griffith 197/133 R 2,896,768 7/1959 Doolittle 197/133 R 2,908,371 10/1959 Burgess 197/133 R 579,048 3/1897 Dudley 197/133 R 470,346 3/1892 B0denbrown.. 197/133 R 1,700,629 l/l929 Douglas 197/l8l.l X 1,857,642 5/1932 Jones .Q 197/133 R UX Primary Examiner-Ernest T. Wright, Jr. Att0rneyLlewe|lyn A. Proctor [57] ABSTRACT An improved copy holder and dispensing apparatus for feeding gummed labels from a continuously wound roll into a typewriter. The apparatus comprises a copy holder and label roll dispensing assembly mounted upon a holder, a pedestal, which fixes and secures the said assembly in cooperating relationship with a typewriter so that gummed labels can be continuously unreeled and fed into the typewriter as the typing of the labels progresses. The stability of the whole of the label roll dispensing assembly and holder is provided by an association with the typewriter which is rested upon the base of the holder to hold the said assembly in operative relationship with the typewriter.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmmiuw 2m 3.762.529

INVENTOR. ROLF F? GRIFFITH BY fQ ULQUXW Q ATTORNEY COPY HOLDER AND ROLL LABEL DISPENSING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITER A device is known which is useful for dispensing gummed labels from a roll to a typewriter. Such apparatus is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,628 which was issued on Feb. 14, 1961. The device is characterized generally as including a sub-assembly provided with a copy holder affixed upon a flat panel, the said sub-assembly being physically adhered to a mount carried upon the carriage of a typewriter. The said subassembly is adapted to carry a roll of gummed labels for feeding to the platen of the typewriter as the entire subassembly, and mount to which it is adhered and readily removable, is carried back and forth by the typewriter carriage. The present invention is concerned with a much improved apparatus of this general character.

There is an acute demand for a device capable of dispensing labels from a roll of continuously wound gummed labels to the platen of a typewriter, and as well for a convenient means of mounting sheets or pages of written information to be copied upon the individual gummed labels. Such copy typically comprises previously typed labels or prescriptions handwritten by physicians which must be copied by pharmacists or pharmacists helpers who often must work in very close quarters.

Gummed labels are typically manufactured in spirally wound rolls which contain as many as about 500, and even a thousand or more, individual gummed labels arranged in edge-to-edge relationship with tearable separations or perforations between individual labels. Often, also, the individual labels are arrayed on a continuous bese adhesive mounting strip from which the individual lables are readily separable.

The device described in the above-identified patent has proven admirably suitable for handling rolls of gummed labels wherein as many as above 500 individual labels are contained within a roll. Manufacturers, however, have found it economically desirable to produce larger and heavier rolls which simply cannot be handled by the previously described apparatus. A new and improved copy holder and dispensing apparatus is required for handling these larger rolls of gummed lable's.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the. present invention toobviate this and other prior art needs.

A particular object is to provide new and improved copy holder and label roll dispensing apparatus, particularly apparatus of simple construction.

These objects, and others are achieved in accordance with the present invention comprising a copy holder and label dispensing apparatus, the basic units of which include a label roll dispensing assembly and a holder, or pedestal, upon which the said assembly is mounted. The holder is stabilized and held in place by the typewriter which is physically rested on the base thereof and the supported label roll dispensing assembly is held thereby in an operative relationship with the typewriter. Gummed labels from a continuously wound roll mounted on the said dispensing assembly can be fed to the typewriter and typing placed on the individual labels by a typist who observes copy placed within the copy holder.

The invention, and its principle of operation, will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of a specific embodiment, and to the attached drawing to which reference is made in the description. In the description, similar whole numbers are used to represent similar parts or components, and where numbers with subscripts are used in common with whole corresponding numbers, the whole numbers are used in generic sense and subscripts are used where there is a plurality of similar parts or components. Letter subscripts are used to denote a particular part, portion or extension of a component.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view showing in detail the several basic parts of a preferred type of copy holder and label dispensing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the said copy holder and label dispensing apparatus, showing generally the basic units of the foregoing figure, assembled and disposed in coperating relationship with a typewriter; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken along Section 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing further details of the copy holder and label dispensing apparatus, in cooperating relationship with a typewriter.

Referring to the drawing, initially to FIG. 1, there is shown the principal parts of a copy holder and label dispensing apparatus which includes generally a label roll dispensing sub-assembly or assembly 10 and a label roll dispensing assembly holder 20. In assembly, as best shown by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the label dispensing assembly I0 is securely held in place atop the holder 20. The whole of the label roll dispensing assembly l0 and holder 20 are securely supported and held in operative relationship with the typewriter 30 which physically contacts and rests upon the base portion of the holder 20, and gummed labels from a supported continuously wound roll 15 of gummed labels are fed to the typewriter 30.

The label roll dispensing assembly 10 is comprised of a member of U-shaped cross-section, which includes a front panel 11 and side panels 12,, 12,. The side panels 12,,12 are arranged in parallel one with respect to the other, and adjoined each to oppositely disposed edges of the front panel 11. Each side panel 12,, 12 is provided with an opening 13,,13, through which a bar or axle 14 is supported. A roll 15 of continuously wound gummed labels is mounted upon the axle l4, and friction between the rotating roll 15 and the inside surfaces of the side panels 12,,12, is lessened by the resilient washers 16,,165, one of which fits upon the axle 14 at each side of an inserted roll 15. The axle 14 is maintained in position after the roll 15 is placed thereupon by the internally threaded nuts 17 ,17 each of which is threadably connected upon the terminal ends of the axle 14, which is externally threaded.

The front panel 11 is constituted of a flat or planar surface, and the lower edge 11,, is extended to provide a means for attachment to the holder 20. A slot opening 18, generally of length considerably greater than the width of the gummed labels to be dispensed from the roll 15, is provided for passage and feeding of labels from the roll 15 to the typewriter 30. An angle shaped channel support in the form of a right angle, or bracket 19 (which includes horizontal member 19, and vertical number 19,), provides mounting means for insertion of sheets or pages of written information which is to be copied upon the labels by the operator of the typewriter 30.

The holder 20, or pedestal, is comprised of a horizontally oriented flat base 21, which includes, preferably,

a vertical section 22. Generally, the vertical section 22 is formed from the same member as the base 21, the former being constructed by bending a portion of the base 21 until the vertical section 22 is located at a right angle to the base 21. A pair of vertically oriented elongate members 23,,23,, with upper tabs 23,,,,23,, inclined at an angle of about 30 from vertical, in combination with the horizontally disposed slats 24,25 adjoined to the tabs 23, 23,, provide means for securing and holding the label roll dispensing assembly at a proper height for operative relationship in dispensing labels from the roll to the typewriter 30.

In operation, a roll 15 of blank labels is mounted or placed upon the axle l4, and the latter positioned in place and secured within the label roll dispensing assembly 10. The lower edge, or extended portion 1 1,, of the said assembly 10 is extended into or inserted within the space provided between the tabs 23 23 and the slats 24,25. So positioned upon the holder 20, the end portion of the band of labels from the roll 15 is introduced through the slot opening 18, underneath the typewriter roll 31, and the typewriter carriage 32 positioned for typing. As the operator observes the copy mounted within the bracket 19 and transfers the inscription thereon to the labels, the band of labels are freely laterally moved back and forth within the slot opening 18 as the typewriter carriage 32 is reciprocated.

It is apparent that various changes, such as in the absolute or relative dimension of the components, materials used, and the like, can be made without departing the spirit and scope of the invention, as will ba apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the specific number or size and shape of the channel members 23,, 23, of the dispensing holder can be varied or even constituted of a single member mounted upon the base 21. The label roll dispensing assembly 10, on the other hand, might also be mounted somewhat differently upon the dispensing holder 20, while yet maintaining the proper orientation between assembly 10 and the typewriter 30. The parts are generally made of metal, e.g., iron, steel or other alloys, though they might also be made of rigid plastic or plastic-like materials.

Other variations and changes can be readily envisioned by those skilled in the art.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An improved copy holder and'dispensing apparatus, useful with a typewriter provided with a typewriter roll and typewriter carriage, for feeding gummed labels from a continuously wound roll into the typewriter and beneath the typewriter roll of the typewriter carriage, comprising a label roll dispensing assembly wherein is included an elongate front panel, a pair of oppositely disposed parallelly aligned side panels, the edges of which are adjoined to the opposite edges of the front panel to provide a member of U-shaped cross-section,

a front panel extension projecting below and at a right angle to the edges of the side panels,

a copy holder comprising a channel support located on the outward face of the front panel for containing copy,

a slot, of greater width than that of the gummed labels passed therethrough, located within the front panel below the copy holder,

an axle extending through openings located within the pair of side panels upon which the roll of labels can be mounted and an end thereof extended through the slot of the front panel into operative relationship with the typewriter,

a holder for support of the label roll dispensing assembly including a flat horizontal base upon which the typewriter can be rested for support of the holder support and label roll dispensing assembly, pair of parallelly aligned vertical channel members attached to the horizontal base, each being provided with a tab similarly inclined from horizontal, a pair of slats extended between the tabs, one on each side of a tab, to provide a slot opening within which the front panel extension of the label roll dispensing assembly can be extended to secure the label roll dispensing assembly to said support holder whereby gummed labels can be continuously unreeled from the continuously wound label roll and inscriptions typed on individual labels, as labels from the continuously wound roll are freely laterally moved back and forth within the slot of the front panel as the typewriter carriage is reciprocated and the typing of the labels progresses.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tabs are inclined about 30 from vertical.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal base is provided with a vertical section at one of its edges, and the pair of vertical channel members are attached thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the copy holder channel support mounted upon the outward face of the elongate front panel of the label roll dispensing assembly is comprised of a pair of channel members, one channel member mounted with its trough portion upwardly in horizontal disposition above the slot within the front panel while the other channel member is mounted vertically adjacent thereto on the left side of said front panel with its trough portion facing to the right so that copy can be conveniently placed and held within the trough portions thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle located between the pair of side panels of the label roll dispensing assembly is provided with a pair of resilient washers, one for fitting on each side of a supported roll of labels.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the axle is externally threaded on each terminal end thereof, and a pair of internally threaded nuts are provided for threadable engagement therewith to secure the axle in position upon the side panels. 

1. An improved copy holder and dispensing apparatus, useful with a typewriter provided with a typewriter roll and typewriter carriage, for feeding gummed labels from a continuously wound roll into the typewriter and beneath the typewriter roll of the typewriter carriage, comprising a label roll dispensing assembly wherein is included an elongate front panel, a pair of oppositely disposed parallelly aligned side panels, the edges of which are adjoined to the opposite edges of the front panel to provide a member of U-shaped cross-section, a front panel extension projecting below and at a right angle to the edges of the side panels, a copy holder comprising a channel support located on the outward face of the front panel for containing copy, a slot, of greater width than that of the gummed labels passed therethrough, located within the front panel below the copy holder, an axle extending through openings located within the pair of side panels upon which the roll of labels can be mounted and an end thereof extended through the slot of the front panel into operative relationship with the typewriter, a holder for support of the label roll dispensing assembly including A flat horizontal base upon which the typewriter can be rested for support of the holder support and label roll dispensing assembly, a pair of parallelly aligned vertical channel members attached to the horizontal base, each being provided with a tab similarly inclined from horizontal, a pair of slats extended between the tabs, one on each side of a tab, to provide a slot opening within which the front panel extension of the label roll dispensing assembly can be extended to secure the label roll dispensing assembly to said support holder whereby gummed labels can be continuously unreeled from the continuously wound label roll and inscriptions typed on individual labels, as labels from the continuously wound roll are freely laterally moved back and forth within the slot of the front panel as the typewriter carriage is reciprocated and the typing of the labels progresses.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tabs are inclined about 30* from vertical.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal base is provided with a vertical section at one of its edges, and the pair of vertical channel members are attached thereto.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the copy holder channel support mounted upon the outward face of the elongate front panel of the label roll dispensing assembly is comprised of a pair of channel members, one channel member mounted with its trough portion upwardly in horizontal disposition above the slot within the front panel while the other channel member is mounted vertically adjacent thereto on the left side of said front panel with its trough portion facing to the right so that copy can be conveniently placed and held within the trough portions thereof.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle located between the pair of side panels of the label roll dispensing assembly is provided with a pair of resilient washers, one for fitting on each side of a supported roll of labels.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the axle is externally threaded on each terminal end thereof, and a pair of internally threaded nuts are provided for threadable engagement therewith to secure the axle in position upon the side panels. 